Ithra’s installation by Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmed at Spain festival

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), a leading cultural institution in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, unveiled an immersive installation inspired by Saudi agricultural heritage at the Concéntrico International Festival of Architecture and Design in Logrono, Spain (June 19 -24).

Participating in the festival for the second consecutive year, Ithra expanded its footprint across the international design landscape by presenting Rooted in Warmth by Saudi multimedia artist Raghad Al-Ahmed, alongside an Ithra-supported sensory experience delivered by Saudi-based visual narrative studio, N’class, on June 19.

The installation was created in collaboration with over 50 female artisans in Al-Jawf, northern Saudi Arabia, inspired by the artist’s roots in the Hejazi community, specifically in the western city of Taif, where gatherings under the shades of trees still form an integral part of rural life.

Reviving a moment of connection through contemporary lens, the immersive installation encouraged visitors to interact with, enter and even climb the structure, to experience the work’s celebration of the deep ties between agriculture, familial connection, and the nurturing qualities of Nature.

Interacting with Summer Blessings offerings.

The sensory experience, called Summer Blessings, complemented Rooted in Warmth by presenting an immersive installation celebrating the rich diversity of KSA’s local fruits and herbs. The installation was a large tablecloth representing Saudi Arabia’s map; placed on it were seasonal fruits, spices and herbs, well-known in each region of the Kingdom, inviting visitors to smell, touch, and taste the rich agricultural heritage of the country. The project contributes to Ithra’s broader efforts to celebrate cultural heritage through craft-focused programmes. They include Ithra’s Islamic Art Conference and ongoing multi-exhibition programme dedicated to Islamic and contemporary artisanship.

Through hands-on, discovery-led experiences, Ithra has invited audiences of all ages to explore creativity and knowledge embedded in craft traditions across Saudi Arabia and beyond its borders. By sharing traditions, including the presentation at Concéntrico Festival, Ithra brings foundational elements of Saudi identity to new audiences, to ensure that an invaluable legacy is preserved and shared globally. Commenting on the festival showcase, Noura Alzamil, Head of Programs at Ithra, said: “We are proud to present Raghad Al-Ahmed’s remarkable work at Concéntrico. Commissioning this piece and showcasing it at one of Europe’s leading design festivals reflects Ithra’s continued efforts to champion creative expression.

“This initiative offers a tangible platform for Saudi artists and artisans to amplify their voices and share their craft with the world, enriching the global cultural landscape. Imbued with the artist’s personal and national identity, wrapped in contemporary artistic expression, Rooted in Warmth is sure to be a catalyst for cross-cultural dialogue at the festival.” The installation was open to the public June 19–24 at the Plaza de la Diversidad in Logrono. Following its debut in Spain, Rooted in Warmth will be exhibited in Saudi Arabia as part of Tanween 2025. As the installation continues its journey to Tanween 2025, it returns to Ithra enriched by its engagement with international audiences and recontextualised at home within the rich architectural dialogue of the Kingdom.

Saudi artist Raghad Al-Ahmed.

Tanween is Ithra’s annual flagship design event, dedicated to spotlighting excellence in global design and amplifying voices leading creative innovation and to motivating and inspiring a new generation of innovators. The seventh edition of Tanween (2024) invited audiences and creatives for six days of workshops, talks, masterclasses, exhibitions, panel discussions, design challenges and a variety of creative activations under the theme of Fail Forward. The conference was a platform for over 160 designers and creatives from 22 countries. Visitors saw the outcomes of projects from the previous Tanween Challenges, interacted with the stunning display of exhibited works of 50 design and architecture graduates from nine different countries and enjoyed the day with an expert programme of design masterclasses. Tanween 2024 in numbers : 1 Mega Challenge; 100 opportunities created; 26 speakers; 62 activations; 5 exhibitions; and 9 workshops.

The second edition of the Tanween Mega Challenge gathered creatives from around the globe to develop design solutions to enrich a pilgrim’s Hajj experience. With a view to improve pilgrims’ accessibility and comfort, Tanween challenged 70 international innovators to design sustainable and empowering solutions that improve services during the Hajj season. Concéntrico is an urban innovation that rethinks the use of public space and strengthens communities through architecture and design.

Since its inception in 2015 as the international Festival of Architecture and Design in Logrono, it has developed more than 150 interventions over ten years, evolving into an expanded platform with a presence in cities such as Milan, Bucharest, Barcelona, Madrid, Dammam, Huesca, besides Logrono. By expanding its footprint and establishing new dates in different locations, Concéntrico seeks to revitalise the dialogue between designers and communities, enriching the festival experience and its relevance in the current context.

The new season of Concéntrico introduced a renewed approach with initiatives that included calls for permanent projects, educational programmes, exhibitions, and itinerant installations, consolidating its role as a reference in urbanism and public space discourse. The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is located in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It focuses on enriching people’s lives by offering impactful cultural and creative programmes and initiatives. Since its opening in 2018, Ithra has become a distinguished cultural and architectural landmark which houses the Idea Lab, Library, Theater, Museum, Cinema, Great Hall, Energy Exhibit, Children’s Museum and Knowledge Tower.